Recipes

Lentil Stew with Corn Bread

This meal is filled with comfort and nourishment. The beautiful texture of the Corn Bread combined with the spice of the stew is perfection!

Prep Time 20mins
Cook Time 60mins for Stew | 40mins Baking for Corn Bread
Difficulty Easy
Serves 6
Lentil Stew with Corn Bread

Ingredients

  • STEW:
  • 1 onion
  • 1 1/2 garlic cloves
  • 1 purple sweet potato (large)
  • 1 orange sweet potato (large)
  • 200g pumpkin
  • 2 carrots
  • 5 mushrooms
  • 1 can lentils
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 1L vegetable stock (or 1L of water with 2 tsp stock powder)
  • 1 can chopped tomatoes (optional)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • CORN BREAD
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 150-200g creamed corn (1 small tin or 1/2 large tin)
  • 3/4 cup polenta (cornmeal)
  • 1 cup wholemeal plain flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate Soda
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vegetable stock powder
  • 1 tsp chicken stock powder

Method

  • Prep Ingredients: Finely chop the onion and garlic cloves. Peel the pumpkin. Rinse and drain the lentils. Melt the butter and set aside.
  • FOR THE STEW:
  • Chop all the veggies and root veggies in 1-2 cm chunks.
  • Meanwhile, heat some olive oil on medium heat in a large crockpot or pot. Gently fry off the onion and garlic, then add all the veggies (except peas)
  • While that is simmering away, add the lentils and spices. Stir the spices through until fragrant.
  • Add the veggie stock to the pot, along with the tinned tomatoes if using.
  • Simmer this mix for 45-60mins on low to moderate heat until vegetables are tender.
  • CORN BREAD: While the stew is cooking, it is time to make the corn bread!
  • In a small bowl whisk together the melted butter, eggs, buttermilk and corn.
  • In a large bowl, combine the polenta, flour, bicarb soda, baking powder, stock powder. To this mix, and the wet ingredients and whisk until combined.
  • Place mix in a greased small baking pan and bake in oven at 180deg for 40 mins or until cooked through.
  • Back to the Stew: Right at the end of cooking, stir through the peas.If mix is too runny, you may need to blend 1-2 tbsp of cornflour in with 2 tbsp of water and then add to the mix while it is simmering.

Vegan Adaptation:
Stew is Vegan Friendly as is. For the cornbread, replace the butter and buttermilk with a non-dairy alternative.

Stew in Pressure Cooker:
Follow steps 1-5 in the pressure cooker pot. Place on high setting and cook at pressure for 30 mins. Allow pressure to release naturally or quickly – whatever you have time for!

Stew in Slow Cooker:
Follow steps 1-5 if you wanted to fry off ingredients first or alternatively place all ingredients in the slow cooker together. Cook on low for 6-8hrs or high for 4hrs.

Low FODMAP:
Omit onion and garlic. Replace onion with spring onions and use garlic infused olive oil.
Use GF flours and ensure stock is FODMAP friendly.